Needle-attaching device for sewing machines



Oct. 24, 1967 YASUKATA EGUCHI ETAL 3,348,508

NEEDLE-ATTACHING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1965 INVENTORS YMu-z/ 9M J'wmu. Han w 1967 YASUKATA EGUCHI ETAL ,3

NEEDLE-ATTACHING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, l965 0t.24, 1967 YASUKATA EGUCH' T 3,348,508

NEEDLE-ATTACHING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 6, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Office 3,348,508 Patented Oct. 24,1967

11 Claims. 01. 112-226 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A needle-attaching device for sewing machines including an elongated needle bar member having a first axially extending abutment face formed on a lower end portion, ring member surrounding the lower end portion and having an inner surface portion constituting a second abutment face and defining with the first abutment face a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions, and clamping means including a portion projecting into this space and cooperating with the second abutment face so as to force a single or a plurality of needle end portions into abutment with the first abutment face in clamping engagement with both of such abutment faces.

The present invention relates to sewing machines.

More specifically, the present invention realtes to devices for securing one or more needles to a sewing machine.

Sewing machines, particularly industrial sewing machines, may be designed to perform sewing operations with one or more needles. Selection of the number of needles to be employed for any given sewing operation depends on the type of sewing to be done, the material to be sewed, etc. The needles are secured to a bar member which generally moves vertically in the sewing machine head with a reciprocatory motion.

Heretofore, different types of needle locking members have been employed for mounting different numbers of needles on the needle-carrying bar member. In other words, each of these locking members was adapted to secure a given number of needles to the bar member. This meant that, whenever the number of needles was to be changed, the locking member had to be changed also.

Moreover, the locking member for single-needle operation is generally difierent in its construction from that employed for operation with' two or more needles since modes of securing the needle or needles to the bar member differ, depending on the number of needles involved. Also, the head portion of the needle used in single-needle operation has heretofore generally been of different shape than the head portion of needles usedin double or tripleneedle operation. Consequently, it was necessary to have on hand at all times various types of needles and needle locking members, and the changeover from one method of operation to another was rather complicated, resulting in relatively long downtime for the individual machines.

In an industry as highly competitive as the textile industry has become, such unnecessary complexity and the unproductive downtime resulting therefrom is not toler able. It is therefore a general objective of the present invention to find a way of relieving the above-outlined problems.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a means permitting the securing of a single needle, or of a plurality of needles, to the needle-carrying bar member of the sewing machine without requiring changing of the needle-holding device.

Still a more specific object of the invention is to provide a means of securing a single needle, or a plurality of needles, to the needle-carrying bar member, and of bolding them in the desired positions in such a way that the needles are prevented from moving relative to the bar member and thereby causing malfunctioning of the sewing machine. Y

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a means of securing a single, or a plurality of needles, to the needle-carrying bar member of a sewing machine as set forth above, which will permit the use of needles having head portions of identical shape, regardless of whether one, two or more needles are employed at one time.

The space into which the needles are inserted, the abutment face against which they are clamped, and the clamping means by which the needles are secured can all be given various suitable shapes. It is thus possible to so construct the inventive device that it will accept needles of any given head configuration. By providing a projection which projects partly across the space into which the needles are inserted, and by locating this projection transversely spaced from the clamping means in such a way that it projects parallel to the latter, the space is subdivided into three sections. However, since neither the clamping means nor the projection extend completely across the space, the heads of needles inserted into the shape side-by-side can bear upon one another if one of them is subjected to the action of a single clamping means, such as a screw extending into the space. The needleheads themselves thus fix one another with substantially the same degree of force, and without the need for the prevoiusly required individual clamping arrangements.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a needle-attaching device as set forth abovewhich is simple in its construction, economical in its manufacture, and which permits speedly changing of the number of needles to reduce the downtime of the sewing machine occasioned by such changing.

With these objects, and others which will become apparent from the following description, in mind we have provided a needle-attaching device for sewing machines which comprises, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having a first axially extending abutment face formed on a lower end portion thereof; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion and having an inner surface portion forming a second abutment face and forming therewith a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions; and clamping means including a portion projecting into said space and arranged in such a manner that a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions may be clamped in said space in side-by-side parallel relationship.

In this way, one or a plurailty of needles may be clamped in proper position without the need for changing the needle holding device at each changeover. A device constructed in accordance with the invention is simple, reliable, and so holds the needle or needles in position relative to the needle bar member that movement of the needle or needles is effectively prevented.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a needle bar member and holding member in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line III- III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line line IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are respective front elevational views corresponding to the embodiment of FIG. 1 and showing the different needle arrangements possible;

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 as respectively taken on the lines VIII-VIII, IXIX and XX of these figures;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lower end portion. of the needle bar member; and

FIGS. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional views of still further embodiments of the present invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and firstly to FIG. 1, the inventive device will be seen to comprise a needle bar member 1 which is axially reciprocable in the head of a sewing machine which is not shown. A needle locking ring member 2 surrounds the lower end portion of the bar member 1 and is secured thereto by means of a locking screw 3 (FIG. 2) in a manner which will be disclosed in greater detail later on. The exterior surface of the member 2 is formed on one side with a projection 4 on which there may be mounted suitable accessories required for various sewing operations such as, for example, embroidering, buttonhole working, or pleating. This projection does not form a part of the invention and has been shown for informatory purpose only; it will not be further described herein. A clamping screw 6 extends inwardly through the wall of the member 2 and is adapted to releasably secure one or more needles to the needle bar member 1. A thread guide is disposed downwardly of the lowermost end of the member 2 and connected thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 which are cross-sectional views taken on the lines IIIIII and IV-IV of FIG. 1, the first axially extending abutment face 8 which is provided on the bottom part of the lower end portion of bar member 1 and forms with a second abutment face 22, provided on the inner surface of the ring member 2, and a pair of transverse surface portions 2a, 2b of the ring member 2 a space adapted to receive one or a plurality of needles (FIG. 4). Upwardly of its bottom part the lower end portion of member 1 is stepped, that is, it extends outwardly beyond the abutment face 8 and substantially normal thereto and forms a surface 8a which is in abutting contact with the upper portion of abutment face 22 on member 2 (FIG. 3, FIG. 11). This stepping also produces a transverse stop face 9 (FIG. 11) which will be described in more detail later. A recess or groove 10 is formed in the surface 8a of bar member 1 and a locating projection 12 projects from the abutmentface 22 of ring member 2 towards the surface 8a. The projection 12 does not contact abutment face 8; however, upwardly thereof it is received in the groove 10 of surface 8a, thus securing member 2 against rotation or tilting relative to member 1. The stepping of bar member 1 produces a stop 9 at the upper edge of abutment face 8 and extending normal thereto (FIG. 11), against which the head portions of needles to be clamped abut, so that the needles are thereby secured against axial movement. A threaded bore 11 provided in bar member 1 upwardly of the stop 9 receives the locking screw 3 which extends through the wall of ring member 2 and thus holds the same to the bar member 1. The head of screw 3 presses against the outside of ring member 2 so that the latter and bar member 1 are pulled tightly together and even small relative movements are prevented.

In operation, one or more needles 7 are inserted into the space defined between the stop 9, the faces 8 and 22 and the transverse surface portions 2a and 2b. They are secured in this space by the clamping screw 6 cooperating with the projection 12 and the portions 2a, 2b and 22 of the member 2. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1l0 the wall of the ring member 2 is provided with an outward extension having a screwthreaded bore open to the interior of the member 2, and

the clamping screw 6 extends through the bore toward the abutment face 8 of member 1 normal thereto. Thus, the portion of screw 6 which extends into the space adapted to receive the needles is transversely spaced from projection 12 and extends parallel thereto. If now the device is'to be used for single-needle operation, a needle 7 is inserted into the space either between the left side of the projecting portion 13 of the screw 6' and the inner surface of-ring member 2 (as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 8), or to the right of the pointed free end portion 13 of screw 6 between the same and the locating projection 12 (FIGS. 6 and 9). Turning of the screw 6 in a sense tending to move the projecting portion 13 further into the space adapted to receive the needle, will serve to clamp the needle 7 (FIG. 8) between the inner surface of member 2 and the portion 13 while, in the other case shown in FIG. 9, the needle will be clamped between the portion 13 and the locating projection 12. If the device is to be used for double-needle operation, a pair of needles may be inserted as shown in FIG. 10, thatis, the needles may be respectively disposed on opposite sides of the screw 6 to be clamped thereby between the locating projection 12 and the portion 13 on the one hand, and the inner wall portion of member 2 and the portion 13 on the other hand; or they may both be disposed to the right of screw 6 in which case the needle disposed between portion 13 and locating projection 12 will in turn serve to clamp the second needle disposed between locating projection 12 and the inner surface of FIG. 2. In either case the needles will be reliably secured both against axial movement and against tilting.

If the device is to be used with three needles as shown in FIG. 4, all three needles are inserted into the space adapted to receive them and the left hand needle viewed in FIG. 4 will then :be clamped between the inner surface of member 2 and the portion 13 of screw 6 while the two needles to the right of screw 6 will be clamped as outlined above relative to FIG. 10.

It will thus be seen that no matter how the needles are inserted, they are reliably secured. This is true whether a single needle is used, two needles or three needles. Moreover, there is no longer any need for different head shapes on the various needles and insertion of the needles in the space between the faces 8 and 22 is extremely simple.

Of course, it is also possible to have the screw 6 extend parallel to the abutment face 8, rather than normal to it. In this case member 2 is provided with a threaded bore 14' which is adapted to receive the screw 6. An aperture is provided, connecting the bore 14' with the abutment face 22, and a suitable member, such as a cylindrical member 14 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, is movably received in the aperture. The portion 13 of clamping screw 6 will, when the screw is threaded into the bore, act as a wedge which will cause cylindrical member 14 to be displaced toward the abutment face 8 of bar member 1, so that the cylindrical member 14 will thus take over the clamping function performed by portion 13 in FIGS. 110. Cylindrical member 14 can be of a height substantially equal to that of the member 2 so that the needles, which are thereby engaged over a greater portion of their height than is possible with the clamping screw 6 alone, are even more firmly supported in their parallel positions, virtually eliminating any possibility of tilting.

It is also possible, as shown in the furtherembodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, to provide not one, but a plurality of abutment faces 8' on the lower end portion of the needle bar member 1. These abutment faces may be staggered, that is, they may be recessed transversely of the axial extension of bar member 1. It is thus possible, if desired, to use needles having head portions of different configurations rather than using needles having identical head portions, since this construction creates needlereceivingspaces of different sizes.

, Finally, the stop 9 intermediate the face 8 and surface 8a of bar member 1 may be inclined to the axis of the latter. Since the heads of needles to be fastened with the inventive device abut against stop 9, the pointed ends of these needles will be thus automatically disposed in a plane inclined to the axis of member 1 and parallel to stop 9. This is required for certain types of sewing.

It will be obvious from a consideration of the drawing that we have provided a devicewhich is simple in its structural details, economical to produce, reliable in its action and easy to operate.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of needle holders differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a needle attaching device, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to :be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, -in combination, an elongated needle bar member having a first axially extending abutment face formed on a lower end portion thereof; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion and having an'inner surface portion constituting a second abutment face and defining with said first abutment face a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions; and clamping means including a portion projecting into said space, said clamping means cooperating with said second abutment face so as to force a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions received in said space in direction toward and into abutment with said first abutment face in clamping engagement with both of said abutment faces.

2. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines,

comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having a first axially extending abutment face formed on a lower end portion thereof; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion and having an inner surface portion constituting a second abutment face and defining with said first abutment face a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions; projecting means projecting beyond one and toward the other of said abutment faces; and clamping means including a portion projecting into said space and arranged transversely spaced from said projecting means, said clamping means cooperating with said second abutment face and with said projecting means so as to force a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions received in said space in direction toward and into abutment with said first abutment face in clamping engagement with both of said abutment faces.

3. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having an axis and having on a lower end portion a first abutment face extending in axial direction; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion of said needle bar member and having an inner surface portion opposed to and spaced from said first abutment face and forming a second abutment face, said first and second abutment faces defining together with a pair of transverse inner surface portions of said ring member respectively extending between said abutment faces a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions in side-by-side relationship; projecting means projecting from one toward the other of said abutment faces and clamping means having a tapering free end portion projecting from said one toward, but short of, said other of said abutment faces and adjustable toward and away from said other abutment face, said end portion of said clamping means being spaced from said transverse inner surface portions and from said projecting means and cooperating therewith in such a manner that a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions may be clamped between said abutment faces by cooperation with said projecting means and said adjusting means.

4. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having an axis and having on a lower end portion a first abutment face extending in axial direction; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion of said needle bar member and having an inner surface portion opposed to and spaced from said first abutment face and forming a second abutment face, said first and second abutment faces defining together with a pair of transverse inner surface portions of said ring member respectively extending between said abutment faces a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions in side-by-side relationship; and a pair of means spaced from each other and from said transverse inner surface portions and projecting with tapering ends thereof from one toward, but short of, the other abutment face, one of said means being adjustable toward and away from said other abutment face for clamping said needle end portions in said space, said pair of means being spaced from each other and said transverse inner surface portions in such a manner that a single needle end portion may be clamped between one of said transverse inner surface portions and said clamping means or between said pair of means and that a plurality of needle end portions located between said one transverse inner surface portion and the other of said means may be clamped by said adjusting means.

5. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having an axis and having a lower end portion, said lower end portion having an axially extending first abutment face formed on a lowermost part thereof and having a positioning surface upwardly adjacent said first abutment face, said positioning surface being recessed to define an axially extending positioning groove; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion and having an inner surface portion forming a second abutment face and forming with said first abutment face a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions; a pro, jection projecting from said second abutment face toward said first abutment face and having an upper portion received in said positioning groove for preventing turning of said ring member relative to said bar member;

and clamping means having a tapering free end portion projecting from said second abutment face toward, but short of, said first abutment face and transversely spaced from said projecting means in such a manner that a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions may be clamped in said space between said inner surface portion and said clamping means, and said clamping means and said projection, respectively.

6. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having an axis and having a lower end portion, said lower end portion having an axially extending first abutment face formed on a lowermost part thereof and having a positioning surface upwardly adjacent said first abutment face, said positioning surface being recessed to define an axially extending positioning groove; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion and having a projection projecting from said second abutment face toward said first abutment face and having an upper portion received in said positioning groove for preventing turning of said ring member relative to said bar member; and clamping means including screw means having a tapering free end portion projecting from said second abutment face toward, but short of, said first abutment face and transversely spaced from said projecting means, said ring member being formed with a threaded bore therethrough normal to said first abutment face and: said screw means extending through said bore and projecting from said second abutment face toward said first abutment face in such a manner that a single needle end portion or a pluralityof needle end portions may be clamped in said space between said inner surface portion and said clamping means, and said clamping means and said projection, respectively.

7. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, as defined in claim 6 wherein said ring member is provided on its exterior with a reinforcing portion extending normal'to the axis thereof, and said bore extends through said reinforcing portion and through the wall of said ring member.

8. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member having a plurality of axially extending first abutment faces formed on a lower end portion thereof and staggered in a direction normal to the axis of said needle bar member; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion andhaving an inner surface portion forming a second abutment face spaced from said plurality of first abutment faces and forming therewith a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions; projecting means projecting beyond said second abutment face and toward said plurality of first abutment faces; and clamping means including a portion projecting into said space spaced from said projecting means and arranged in such a manner that a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions may be clamped in. said space in side-by-side. parallel relationship by cooperation of said projecting means and said clamping means with said abutment faces.

9. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar member-having an axis and a lower end portion, said lower end portion having an axially extending first abutment face formed on a lowermost .part thereof and having a portion upwardly adjacent said first abutment face extending thereby and forming a stop face extending substantially normal to said first abutment face and adapted to have needle end portions abut thereagainst for preventing axial movement thereof and a positioning surface extending spaced from and in a plane parallel to said first abutment face, said positioning surface being recessed to define an axially extendingpositioning groove; .a ring member surrounding said lower end portion and having an inner surface portion forming a second abutment face and forming with said first abutment face a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions; a projection projecting from said second abutment face toward said first abutment face and having an upper portion received in said positioning groove for preventing turning of said ring member relative to said bar member; and clamping means having a tapering free end portion projecting from said second abutment face toward, but short of, said first abutment face and transversely spaced from said projecting means in such a manner that a single needle end portion or a plurality of needle end portions may be clamped in said space between said inner surface portion and said clamping means, and said clamping means and said projection, respectively.

10. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, as defined in claim 9, wherein said stop face is inclined to the axis of said needle bar member so that the pointed ends of needles extending parallel to one another and having needle end portions abutting against said stop face are positioned in a plane parallel to, and downwardly spaced from said stop face.

11. A needle-attaching device for sewing machines, comprising, in combination, an elongated needle bar mem her having an axis and having on a lower end portion a first abutment face extending in axial direction; a ring member surrounding said lower end portion of said needle bar member and having an inner surface portion opposed to and spaced from said first abutment face and forming a second abutment face, said first and second abutment faces defining together with a pair of transverse inner surface portions of said ring member respectively extending between said abutment faces a space adapted to receive a plurality of needle end portions in side-byside relationship; projecting means projecting into said space and clamping means including an adjusting screw having a tapering end received in a bore formed in said ring member and extending parallel to said second abutment face, and a clamping member received in an aperture opening into said bore and said space, said clamping member projecting partially into said bore and partially into said space at a location spaced from said projecting means so that, when said screw is turned in a sense in which said tapering end thereof engages said clamping member, the latter will be pushed thereby through said aperture and into said space and will cooperate with said transverse inner surface portions and said projecting means in such a manner that a single needle end portion may be clamped between one of said transverse inner surface portions and said clamping member, two needle end portions arranged side-by-side may be clamped between the other of said transverse inner surface portions and said clamping member, and a plurality of needle end portions arranged side-by-side may be clamped between said pair of inner surface portions and said clamping member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,792,798 5/1957 Zink 112226 2,973,733 3/1961 Johnson 112226 3, 20,866 2/1962 Fujita 112226 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,332,241 6/ 1963 France.

1,028,864 4/ 1958 Germany.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner.

J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A NEEDLE-ATTACHING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED NEEDLE BAR MEMBER HAVING A FIRST AXIALLY EXTENDING ABUTMENT FACE FORMED ON A LOWER END PORTION THEREOF; A RING MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID LOWER END PORTION AND HAVING AN INNER SURFACE PORTION CONSTITUTING A SECOND ABUTMENT FACE AND DEFINING WITH SAID FIRST ABUTMENT FACE A SPACE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A PLURALITY OF NEEDLE END PORTIONS; AND CLAMPING MEANS INCLUDING A PORTION PROJECTING INTO SAID SPACE, SAID CLAMPING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SECOND ABUTMENT FACE SO AS TO FORCE A SINGLE NEEDLE END PORTION OR A PLURALITY OF NEEDLE END PORTIONS RECEIVED IN SAID SPACE IN DIRECTION TOWARD AND INTO ABUTMENT WITH SAID FIRST ABUTMENT FACE IN CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH BOTH OF SAID ABUTMENT FACES. 